Getting fitter

Its really easy to always look at where you want to be rather than where you have come from and this week I actually realised that I am getting fitter. It was another tough training week with a total of 12 hours training, 45 hours work, 1 engagement party and 1 lunch party.

The culmination of my bike training this week took me on a 5 hour ride from the house to Box Hill and back. This route included a loop that I used to do on a weekly basis last summer and nearly killed me. It starts off in Ewhurst climbing Leith Hill (allegedly the highest point in Southern England) before descending again and then going over Ranmere Hill (18%). Another slow decent takes you to the foot of box hill and after climbing up the famous zip-zag route you finally descend and wiggle back to Ewhurst via Ockley. Its around 60km and last year was considered my long weekend ride. This week I added another 80km to the route starting and ending at home. I was completely drained at the end, but it did make me realise just how far I have come in the last 12 months. I have learn't a great deal about nutrition which has been key to completing these long rides and I have massively improved my base fitness.

That is why I have come away from this week with a positive outlook for Ironman France. I still cant really comprehend covering such a large distance in one day , but the realisation of just how much improvement has been made in the last 12 months gives me hope that I can improve myself further.

Still undecided about the New Forest Cycle Sportive, think I will wait till the end of the week and see what the weather is doing !